LaGrange County Parks September activities

Maple Wood Nature Center will be closed September 20, for Pine Knob Hunting and Fishing Day.

Breakfast with the Birds…

Breakfast with the Birds is for anyone who is free a Wednesday morning of each month. The program starts with coffee and doughnuts, then a talk or discussion is offered by a naturalist. Bring binoculars and enjoy a hike in the woods afterward. A small donation for the program is recommended.

The program for September 17 beginning at 8:30 a.m. is about honeybees.

Honeybees are the most studied insect in the world, and for good reason. In addition to their roles of pollinator and sugar collector, they live within an intricate and fascinating social structure. They even defer to royalty.

Hunting and Fishing Day…

The LaGrange County Parks Department will celebrate National Hunting and Fishing Day from 8 a.m. until 3 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 20, at Pine Knob Park in Howe.

National Hunting and Fishing Day exists to encourage the next generation of caretakers by highlighting the skills and culture of wildlife conservation.

Junior Achievement serving LaGrange County will host a Bow Shoot. The Archery Shoot is open from 8 a.m. until noon. There is an entry fee to participate. The competition will follow the 1.7-mile, 30-target 3-D Archery course.

Archers will be divided into classes – Cub for ages 11 and younger, Youth for ages 12-16, and Adult for ages 17 and up. There will be awards and door prizes. All proceeds will benefit Junior Achievement in LaGrange County.

There will also be a Tailgate Swap Meet from 8 a.m. until 3 p.m. Do you have outdoors and sporting gear that needs a new home? The Tailgate Swap Meet is your chance to buy, sell, or trade gear. A limited number of vendor spaces are available for selling used sporting gear. For details on vendor space, contact the LaGrange County Parks Department at 854-2225 or 463-4022 or visit the website at la grangecountyparks.org.

Various conservation organizations will be represented and a Conservation Officer will be on hand to answer questions. Lunch will be served by the Pokagon Longrifles.

Pine Knob Park is located at 2825E SR 120, three miles east of Howe. A map is available for download at lagrangecountyparks.org.

Rug hook event…

The second Northeast Indiana Rug Hook Event will be held from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 28, at Maple Wood Nature Center.

Wooley for Ewe Hooking Group is sponsoring a day of personal projects and exhibits. Bring projects to work on while enjoying the woods setting. Participants are encouraged to bring finished projects for display and a bag lunch.

Seating is limited, so participants are required to contact Laurie Proctor at RevDrPr@a ol.com or Jan Ehle at lynnjanehle@msn.comto register.

Folk jam…

Folk Music Jam sessions are hosted the fourth Sunday of the month. Jam sessions are mostly folk, country and bluegrass music with other styles thrown in from time to time.

This month’s jam will be from 1:30-5:00 p.m. on September 28. For more information contact Jam Leader Erv Troyer at 463-2247 or reo43@aol.com or Maple Wood Nature Center at 463-4022 or lagrangecounty parks@yahoo.com.

Hunter safety class…

The LaGrange County Parks Department will host three sessions of Autumn Hunter's Safety Class: September 23-25 at Dallas Lake Park, October 25 and 27 at Maple Wood Nature Center, and November 1 and 2 at Pine Knob Park.

Anyone born after December 31, 1986 is required to pass this class before obtaining a hunting permit. It is also recommended for hunters of any age who have not gone through this or a similar course.

Classes dates and times are as follows.

· 5:30-9 p.m. September 23-25 at Dallas Lake Park. Class number is 48463;

· 9 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. on October 25, and 5-8:30 p.m. on October 27 at Maple Wood Nature Center in LaGrange. Class number is 48464;

· 9 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. on November 1, and 1-4:30 p.m. on November 2 at Pine Knob Park in Howe. Class number is 48465;

Participants must bring pencils and a lunch. There is no charge for Hunter's Safety Class, expenses are paid for with each hunting license sold in Indiana.

Other questions regarding hunting seasons and hunter eligibility can be answered by Indiana Conservation officers at 260-244-3720.

All programs, unless otherwise noted, are held at Maple Wood Nature Center, 4.5 miles east and one mile south of LaGrange. For more information about programs or LaGrange County parks, call 854-2225 or 463-4022 or visit the website at lagrangecountyparks.org.